This invention relates to an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a photosensitive body by the electrostatographic process, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus having a communication device for receiving and transmitting information such as service information of the apparatus and ID information of parts thereof, a method for manufacturing the same, and a method for maintaining the same.
An image forming apparatus utilizing the electrostatographic process, for example, an electrophotographic copying machine includes an original holding section for holding an original to be copied, an image reading section for reading image information of the original held by the original holding section as information of brightness, and an image forming section for forming a copying image based on the image information read by the image reading section and printing the copying image on a recording material such as paper.
In the process of assembling the image forming apparatus such as the above electrophotographic copying machine, for example, information items of the lot number, the assembling method of the apparatus in the production line and the like are identified by the operator by visually observing a number ticket. Selection of parts and assembling of the apparatus are effected based on the judgment of the operator.
Further, service operations such as investigation on defective portions of the apparatuses manufactured and put on the market, preparation of parts and repair are performed based on the judgment of the serviceman according to the manufacture's serial number attached to the apparatus.
In the above apparatus, since parts are mounted according to the judgment of the operator based on the visual observation and the apparatus is assembled, occurrence of erroneous mounting of parts of a lot cannot be checked at the assembling time even if such erroneous mounting of parts occurs at the assembling time. Therefore, defective portions will be detected after the apparatuses are put on the market.
In order to cope with the above defective portion, a skilled serviceman is required to disassemble the apparatus to search for the cause of the defective portion, order a corresponding part and replace the defective part by the new part, and as a result, the service efficiency is lowered.
Further, in the process of manufacturing the above apparatus, one type of apparatus is manufactured in one production line to prevent the operator's work from becoming complicated, thereby making it difficult to mass-produce various types of apparatuses by occupying the production line. Therefore, there occurs a possibility that quick response to the market needs becomes difficult and the manufacturing cost will rise accordingly.
Thus, in the conventional apparatus, a lowering in the reliability due to frequent occurrence of erroneous operations in the simple operation at the manufacturing time, a lowering in the service quality at the time of maintenance after the apparatus is put on the market, and a rise in the manufacturing cost because of difficulty in the mass production of various types of apparatuses may occur.